Navy Seal, White House Fellow, and Founder of The Mission Continues
As the founder and chairman of The Mission Continues, Eric Greitens spends his life leading by example and inspiring others. As a Navy SEAL officer, a Rhodes and Truman scholar, Draper Richards Fellow, and a White House Fellow, he lives a life of service. Whether creating award-winning documentary photography of the faces and stories of children devastated by war, running marathons and winning boxing championships, or helping wounded and disabled veterans to find hope and meaning in community service, Eric works to meet great challenges with both courage and compassion. The Draper Richards Foundation recently named him as a fellow, recognizing him as one of the leading and most innovative social entrepreneurs in the country. A Leading Authorities exclusive speaker, Eric Greitens brings the strength of a Navy SEAL, the selflessness of a humanitarian, and the intellect of a scholar to every lecture and speech. He speaks powerfully about such topics as leadership, social responsibility and "social entrepreneurship," service, and how businesses, teams, and individuals can create a "culture of character" that will enable them to succeed. He has been dubbed "a real-life Captain America," and every schoolchild, African refugee, and wounded veteran, would say the same.
Strength and Compassion--Words to Live By. Greitens' book of photography and essays, Strength and Compassion, captures the faces and stories of refugees, street children, victims of war and poverty, and survivors of genocide. The winner of the 2009 Indie Excellence Award in Photography and Grand Prize Winner of the 2009 New York Book Festival, the book chronicles the extraordinary strength, dignity, and compassion of people in the most perilous circumstances and encourages the reader to explore his or her own strength and compassion. According to the preface by Paul Rusesabagina, the manager who was the inspiration for the film, Hotel Rwanda, "Eric has taken a clear-headed look at the evils of genocide; yet, it has not overwhelmed him as it has so many others...He sees us all clearly as human beings; none of us perfect, each of us flawed, yet all of us with the potential to contribute to building a better world...Eric's images and essays bring us to see others, and to see ourselves in a new way." Here is Eric Greitens in his own words:
In Rwanda, I found people who had suffered more than I could have ever imagined, yet they were willing to welcome me, to talk to me...to trust a total stranger. Certainly, I thought, if they can do this, then we must, at the very least, look them in the eye and respect their strength. We must see them as our fellow human beings, as our brothers and sisters.
Focus on Strengths. Build for Success. As a highly decorated Navy SEAL officer, Greitens has led men in the Global War on Terrorism on four fronts: Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and Southeast Asia. His awards include the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star. At the University of Oxford, he earned a master's in development studies and a Ph.D. in politics, and he was an A.B. Duke Scholar at Duke University. Later, as a White House Fellow, he assisted in rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina. The Mission Continues--which he founded with his own combat pay--helps wounded and disabled veterans begin careers as citizen leaders, continuing their service to the nation here at home. From April 2007 to June 2009, Greitens contributed over 2,700 volunteer hours as a volunteer chief executive officer. In October 2008, the president of the United States personally presented him with the President's Volunteer Service Award in recognition of his inspiring national leadership working with wounded and disabled veterans. He also serves a senior fellow at the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, where he teaches on public service, ethics, and leadership.
Whether he's winning marathons at Camp Fallujah or photographing the lives of child refugees, Eric Greitens impresses everyone he meets as a beacon of service, hard work, and inspiration.
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Inspired Leadership through Challenging Times. Eric Greitens, senior fellow at the Truman School of Public Affairs and the founder and chairman of The Mission Continues, is a celebrated author and an expert on how to lead teams, communities, and organizations through situations of extreme hardship and challenge. A Navy SEAL, a Rhodes Scholar, an award-winning humanitarian leader, Eric has led in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq and in refugee camps following the genocide in Rwanda. It is not enough to endure challenging times, we have to embrace them, and in this speech Eric draws from his own experience to craft a message specifically tailored to every audience that inspires leaders to create hope and build for the future.
Eric bases his stories and lessons on his experience as a Navy SEAL in Iraq, Afghanistan, Southeast Asia, and the Horn of Africa, where he served as the Commander of an Al Qaeda targeting cell and as the commander of a joint special operations task unit. He draws from his experience as an international humanitarian volunteer working with street children in Bolivia, with refugees from Bosnia, and with survivors of landmines in Cambodia. He draws from his experience as a national champion boxer training in the inner city, and he draws from his experience as the founder and chairman of an organization that empowers wounded veterans to meet the challenge of recovery and begin to serve again in their communities.
Eric has led teams through the hardest military training in the world, he has created hope in some of the world's most difficult situations of poverty and war, and he has inspired wounded veterans around the country to begin to serve again in their communities here at home. His book of award-winning photographs and essays, Strength and Compassion, is a testament to the human spirit and a guide for each of us to follow as we develop our own strength, courage, and compassion to lead our teams, communities, and organizations to thrive in the midst of challenge. With high energy, striking images, good humor, and incredible stories, Eric will inspire your people to embrace challenge, create hope, and thrive.
Leadership for Today. Eric draws on stories from his experience as a Navy SEAL, White House Fellow, and award-winning humanitarian leader to teach about the virtues required for inspirational and effective leadership in today's world. Eric shares with audiences the need for vision, courage, hope, and friendship. Drawing from the rich tradition of American leadership, he speaks about the power of humility and he argues that true leaders challenge their followers. With striking images, engaging stories, and a fresh look at today's challenges, Eric inspires his audiences to become stronger, more compassionate, more courageous leaders today.
The Power of Service. Eric calls on stories from his experience in public service to talk about the strength and growth that comes from serving others. A sense of purpose and meaning are essential to any well-lived life, and they are also essential to maintain healthy and vibrant communities and organizations. Drawing from the striking photographs in his book, Strength and Compassion, and telling stories from the incredible public servants that he has come to know, Eric leads his audiences to build their own power and to make a difference to others through inspired service.
Travels FromDistrict of Columbia Local Fee Range$10,001.00 to $15,000.00 West Cost Fee Range$10,001.00 to $15,000.00 East Cost Fee Range$10,001.00 to $15,000.00
This specific fee falls within this range. Ranges are presented as a guideline only. Speaker fees are subject to change without notice. For an exact quote, please contact your Leading Authorities representative.
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